Apparatus of mecaontherapy

ABSTRACT

A hollow vertical column of rectangular cross section having a padded seat and backrest affixed to one exterior wall. The interior of the column is longitudinally partitioned into first and second compartments respectively containing an antifrictionally mounted carriage and a vertical array of congruent weights. Each weight has a central aperture admitting to the insertion of a selector bar along the longitudinal axis of the stack. The selector bar is provided with evenly spaced radial grooves which register with rectangular weight selector plates slidably contained in each weight. A semicircular recess located on the edge of each selector plate adjacent to the selector bar is engageable with the corresponding selector bar groove. A cable connects the selector bar and the carriage by way of a pulley located at the top of the column. Plural holes located on the side walls of the second compartment which provide access to the selector plates are protected by shutters which engage the weights and prevent movement of the carriage when in the open position. Two adjustable handles are pivotally attached to the sides of the carriage.

United States Patent Chillier APPARATUS 0F MECAONTHERAPY [76] Inventor: Maurice Chillier, 15, rue Pierre,

Fatio, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland 221 Filed: Feb. 9, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 224,751

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner.loseph R. Taylor Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ross, Ross & Flavin 57 ABSTRACT A hollow vertical column of rectangular cross section having a padded seat and backrest affixed to one exterior wall. The interior of the column is longitudinally partitioned into first and second compartments respectively containing an antifrictionally mounted carriage and a vertical array of congruent weights. Each weight has a central aperture admitting to the insertion of a selector bar along the longitudinal axis of the stack. The selector bar is provided with evenly spaced radial grooves which register with rectangular weight selector plates slidably contained in each weight. A semicircular recess located on the edge of each selector plate adjacent to the selector bar is engageable with the corresponding selector bar groove. A cable connects the selector bar and the carriage by way of a pulley located at the top of the column. Plural holes located on the side walls of the second compartment which provide access to the selector plates are protected by shutters which engage the weights and prevent movement of the carriage when in the open position. Two adjustable handles are pivotally attached to the sides of the carriage.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures WENTEU APR 30 m4 SHEET 3 BF 4 l APPARATUS OF MECAONTHERAPY This invention relates to'an apparatus of mecanotherapy.

The backbone distortions are becoming more and more frequent in civilized countries due to the lack of physical exercise of city populations and defective postures gained in the course of activities which practically do not require any physical effort (office work, displacements by car, etc). The treatment of these numerous backbone distortions and their consequences depend on corrective gymnasticsv intended to remedy the muscular deficiency promoting such distortions which can be corrected. The principle of this gymnastic has for aim the statical correction of children as well as grown-up backs; furthermore through corrective attitudes and developping gymnastics, the back is fastened in the corrected posture. I

This invention relates to an apparatus of mecanotherapy enabling the practiceof this gymnastic rectifying the backbone distortions.

The apparatus according to-the invention is characterized by the fact that it includes means allowing a patient to lean back, a vertically. moving carriage, guidance means for displacement of the carriage, means for braken the carriage in at least one direction of its displacements, and gripping means, supported by said carriage, allowing the patient to grasp them with both hands in view to impart upward and downward motions to the carriage.

The drawings show, by way of example, three embodiments of the object of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a profiled vertical section view of a first embodiment of an apparatus of mecanotherapy.

FIG. 2 is a face elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view along the broken line lIl-III of FIG. 2, at an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line lV-IV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view with partial section and portions broken away of a second embodiment of an apparatus of mecanotherapy.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view at an enlarged scale, and 7 FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along broken line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7 at a further enlarged scale, in which only the components necessary to the understanding of the invention are shown.

The apparatus shown on FIG. 1-4 includes a structure l constitutedby a hollow shaped piece of rectangular section, straightened on a base-plate 2 screwed on the floor. A pulley 3 is rotatably mounted on a transversal axle 4 supported by element 1, at its upper end, a rope 5 being fitted into the groove of this pulley 3. A gripping means consisting of a cross-piece 6, parallel to axle 4 of the pulley 3, is fitted to one of the end of the rope 5 by means of a carriage 7 moving vertically and which is guided by the structure 1. The carriage 7 is supported by the structure by means of pulleys 8 fitted with a slight clearance between the internal faces of the front and lateral walls of the structure 1 and an internal division la thereof. The cross-piece 6 projects from both sides of the structure 1 through two longitudinal 65 l; in preference, the inclination of this seat 10 with relation to the structure 1 shall be adjustable too.

A weight 11 stowing system is fitted at the other end of the rope 5. This stowing system includes a shaft 12 provided with an axial passage into which inserts a vertical guiding rod 13 secured on the base-plate 2 of the structure 1. This guiding rod 13 is coaxial to a central passage 14 the internal diameter of which is slightly larger than the external diameter of the shaft 12, and which is provided by all the central holes of a set of superposed weights 1 l which, when not activated, laid on the base-plate 2 of the structure 1.

The hollow shaft 12 shows a set of peripheral grooves 15 spaced from each other in such a manner that each one, when the hollow shaft 12 is totally entered into the central passage 14, is placed opposite a connecting means 16 provided on each ofthe weights 11, and which is intended, depending on its position on the weight, to connect the weight to the shaft 12, thus to the rope 5, or to free it. The structure 1 shows on each of its lateral walls a set of holes 17 placed each opposite one of the connecting means 16 of the weights 11 in order to allow the interlocking and the disjoining, at choice, of each of the weights 11 'on the shaft 12.

As shown on FIG. 4, the connecting means 16 of each of the weights 11 include a small plate 18 slidably mounted on said weight, perpendicularly to its axle and to the shaft 12.

Each small plate is provided with an aperture 19 the diameter of which corresponds to the central passage 14, of the weights and which is coaxial to said central passage 14 when corresponding weight 1 l is to be separated from shaft 12, as shown on FIG. 4. A positioning ball 20 located on a return spring 21, operating like a jumper, enters then into a corresponding notch 22 at the edge of the small plate 18. The opening 19 of the small plate 18 extends by a semi-circular notch 23, which radius corresponds .to the radius of the groove 15 of the shaft 12, in such a manner that by displacing the small plate 18 from the right to the left on FIG. 4, the notch 23 fits into one of the grooves 15 of the shaft 12,

I that renders the corresponding weight 1 I rigid with the shaft l2. Simultaneously the positioning ball 20 enters then into the corresponding notch 24 of the edge of the small plate 18.

As seen, it is enough to connect one of the weights 11 with the shaft 12 so that the weights placed above be simultaneously connected to the shaft 12 and move in a vertical manner with it. The weights 11 are encircled with felt or with another supple material 25 in order to muffle the sound they make by sliding in the structure 1.

The functioning of the apparatus is the following The patient takes place on the seat 10, adjusted at the required high and inclination, the back bearing against the structure 1. The required number of weights 11 is connected to the shaft 12 and the patient grasps with both hands the cross-piece 6 which he makes sliding vertically in the splits 9 of the structure.

By doing that, the patient makes working semiactively the muscles fastening the nape of the neck, of the backbone and of the abdomen, actively the pulling and breaking muscles of the arm, of the scapular waist, of the chest and the abdomen, and very actively the breathing muscles.

Weights used are ranging from 0.5 to 5 kg and the complete set comprises generally to 60, thus a total weight of around 10 to 100 kg.

In order to avoid the rope 5 to jump out of the groove of the pulley 3, if the patient suddenly releases the cross-piece 6, a guiding runner 26 is placed above a portion of the pulley 3 from the place where the end of the rope 5 to which said cross-piece 6 is attached enters into the groove of the pulley. Instead of a pulley 3 and a rope 5, one could also utilize any other arrangement including a supporting member and a bond such as, for example, a notched pinion and a chain engaging in the gearing of this pinion.

The above described stowing means of the weights is particularly beneficial as it allows an automatic load. However, it might be replaced by an easier device consisting, for example, in connecting cross passages presented by the weights 11 to corresponding cross passages of the shaft 12 by means of gudgeons. In this case, the guiding rod 13 of the shaft 12 is to be suppressed.

Instead of being guided between the faces of the structure 1 and the internal division la, the weights could also be guided, for example, by two parallel rods fitted to the base-plate 2 of the structure 1 and crossing the set of weights ll thoroughly.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the apparatus of mecanotherapy including a hollow structure 1, made of an extruded synthetic material, presenting, as previously shown, a structure equipped with a pulley and presenting an internal division 8 separating the piling of the weights 11 from the carriage 7.

. The mechanisms for guiding, selecting, and temporarily stowing the weights are identical to the ones described in the preceding form of execution.

The carriage 7 presents itself in the form of a sliding runner guided by the front division 27 of the hollow structure 1. This runner is also connected by a rope 5 running on the upper pulley, identical to the one of the first embodiment, to the weights stowing means.

This runner 7 includes two attachment pieces 28, projecting from the structure by lateral splits 29 intended for receiving gripping means 30.

Each of these attachment pieces 28 are in the general form of an U of which both wings are bored with two alined holes 31 and 32 and of which thespacing corresponds to the thickness of a tip 33 supported by one of the ends of each gripping means 30. This tip includes a boring 34 and several borings 35, placed on an arc of a circle around the boring 34, allowing the fixation in various positions of each gripping means on each of the fixation pieces 28 by means of gudgeons which are not shown. While a first gudgeon passes through borings 31 and 34, the gripping means can revolve around this gudgeon on an horizontal level in order to be then fixed by a second gudgeon fitted in the boring 32 and one of the borings 35. In that way, the distance between the gripping means and,v the front face of the structure 1, forming the back of the seat, is adjustable, that allows to vary the difficulty of the exercise.

In this second embodiment, the apparatus is provided with means allowing the performance of other gymnastics motions during which the biceps and the triceps as well as the legs muscles are working. 1

To this effect, the front facing of the structure 1 is provided with a dovetailed sliding way 36, extending on the whole height in which slides a support 37 equipped with a tightening screw 38 or any other locking means allowing the interlocking'of this support 37 with the structure 1. This support 31 bears a pulley 39 with horizontal axle.

The lower end of structure 1 presents a front aperture 40 and bears a pulley 41 of which the shaft, horizontal, is approximately placed at the level of the frontal facing of the structure.

A second rope 42, of which one end is fixed to the lower end of the slipper 7, runs over the pulleys 41 and 39 and is equipped, at its other end, with a gripping means not shown. I

Thus this apparatus allows, according to the position of the support 37 in the sliding way 36, to effect efforts from top to bottom, from bottom to top or further along a direction straying from the front face of structure 1.

It is to be noted that the slipper 7 is provided with a lower extension 43 the form of which is such that the rope 42 cannot jam, even when the user works with the gripping means 30, this rope emerging from the structure through the splits 29.

It is to be noted that the hollow structure 1 is fitted on a base plate 44 presenting housings 45 for receiving the gripping means 30 when they are not coupled to slipper 7.

Finally,this apparatus has no seat, the patient having to sit directly on the ground in order to perform exercises for dorsal stretching.

Hence, this second embodiment constitutes a simple, strong and not very bulky apparatus which is very polyvalent from a mecanotherapy point of view.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 8, the structure of the apparatus includes a vertical hollow column 46 equipped with a base plate 47 intended to be fitted to the ground by means not shown. This column 46 has a seat 48, adaptable in position, allowing the patient to sit, and a back seat 49 against which the patient leans when sitted. I

The column 46 has a rectangular section, as shown on FIG. 8, and is longitudinally divided into two divisions by an inner wall 46a. In one of these divisions, designed by 50, shifts a carriage 51, not shown on FIG. 8, to which is fixed a rope 52 running over a pulley 53 rotatively mounted on the upper part of the column 46 and which is connected to a set of counterweights 54 moving in the second division of the column 46, indicated by 55. g

The carriage 51 carries two arms 56 constituting the gripping means for the patient which thus, being sitted on the seat 48 and leaning against the back of the seat 49, can impart to the carriage upward and downward motions. These arms 56 are articulated around substantially vertical axes 57 and are provided with locking means not shown, that allows the modification of the distance of their ends from the plane of the back of the seat 49, and thus, to enable the diversification of the effect of the handling of the carriage on the patient, particularly on his backbone.

Each counterweight 54 is equipped with a fiat bolt allowing the coupling of the corresponding'counterweight to a vertical rod 59 (FIG. 8) which passes through the whole counterweights, by the means'of central borings provided in these latters, and which is fixed to the end of the rope 52 opposite of the one to which is fixed the carriage 59. Both of the opposite walls 46b and 460 of the hollow column 46 are bored each with a set of holes 60 allowing the access to the flat bolts 58 for setting them in action, for example with the finger, in order to connect or disconnect the counterweights from rope 52, like in the first embodiment.

In order to avoid that an untime driving'of the carriage 51 may injure the operator which would then have the finger in one or the other of the holes 60, the apparatus is equipped with a security device including two lengthened shutters 61 and 62 hinged on 63 to the column 46, and which are able of taking each a closed position, such as shutter 61 on FIG. 8, in which they close the whole of the holes 60 of the column in face of which they are placed, or an opening position, such as the shutter 62 on FIG. 8, in which the holes 60 are free, that gives an access to the flat bolts 58. Both of the shutters are equipped each, fitted by screws 64, with a.

transversal piece 65 of which one portion 65a is placed, when the shutter is closed, out of the column 46 and which, on the contrary, when the shutter is open, lies inside the division 55 of the column, in which it enters through passages 66 provided in walls 46b and 46c and are then placed on the path of the counterweights 56, locking these latters.

Thus, when one or the other shutters 61 and 62 is open, exposing the holes 60 of the column 46, the counterweights are locked, that avoids any accident risk, while, when the counterweights are motion free, both of the shutters are closed, hidding the holes 60.

It is to be noted that both of the shutters 61 and 62 are each equipped, on their internal face, with indications 67 (FIG. 6) relating to the total weight of the counterweight(s) in service when the counterweight placed before the corresponding hole, the carriage 51 being in its upper position, is itself in service.

What l claim is: v

1. Mecanotherapy apparatus comprising: means for allowing a patient to lean against a back seat, a vertically slidable carriage, carriage guiding means, carriage braking means for braking in at least one direction of carriage movement, gripping means supported by the carriage and allowing grasping by the patient for imparting upwardand downward motions to the carriage, the braking means including counterweights movable within a hollow vertical column and being coupled to the carriage by a supple bond running over a pulley rotatively mounted on the column, means for modifying the number of counterweights coupled to the supple bond and acting on the carriage, the column being provided with a set of openings giving access to themodifying means on the counterweights for allowing selective coupling to the supple bond, the supple bond being attached to a vertical rod coaxial to the hollow shaft of the structure, and extendable through the counterweights, the rod presenting a set 'of spaced recesses for each receiving an element of connection with a counterweight, each element being mounted in shifting manner on a counterweight on which it may selectively take a first'position in which it is partially engaged in one of the holes of the shaft for coupling the corresponding counterweight to the shaft and to the supple bond and a second position in which it is slipped away and released from the hole, the corresponding counterweight being thus disconnected from the shaft, the shaft being fitted on a coaxial guiding rod and fixed to the structure at its lower end, the elements of connection being constituted by small plates acting as locking means slidably mounted on the counterweights perpendicularly to the axle thereof, each of the small plates being provided with a button-hole of which the part with the small section engages into one of ring-shaped grooves provided in the shaft and of which the part with the large section allows the free passage of the shaft.

2. Mecanotherapy apparatus comprising: means for allowing a patient to lean against a back seat, a carriage slidable vertically, guiding means for the carriage, means braking the carriage in at least one direction of movement, gripping means supported by the carriage for allowing the patient to grasp them with both hands with a view to imparting to the carriage upward and downward motions, the gripping means being movably mounted on the carriage, their positions being adjustable in a manner that the distance separating them from a vertical plane passing through the means allowing the patient to lean back, parallel to the vertical plane passing through the gripping means is adjustable too.

3. Mecanotherapy apparatus comprising: means for allowing a patient to lean against a back seat, a carriage slidable vertically, guiding means for the carriage, means braking the carriage in at least one direction of its movements, and gripping means supported by the carriage for allowing the patient to grasp them with both hands with a view to imparting to the carriage upward and downward motions, the means braking the carriage in at least one direction of its movements being constituted by counterweights moving in the interior of a hollow vertical column being one element of the structure and being coupled to the carriage by a supple bond running over a pulley rotatively mounted on the column, at the upper part of this latter, with means being provided to rnodify by selection of the number of counterweights coupled to the supple bond and which consequently act on the carriage, the column being bored with at least a set of holes longitudinally placed, giving access to means, provided on the counterweights, for allowing selective coupling to'the supple bond, articulatedly supporting at least one shutter formed by a lengthened piece adaptable to two positions, one in which it is closed and is applied to the column, closing the set of holes thereof, and the other in which it is open, releasing the said holes, the shutter being rigid with atleast one locking means passing through a passage provided in the column, which is disposed in such a manner to be placed on the path of the counterweights, in the interior of the column, when the shutter is open, avoiding thus any motion of the counterweights, or to be out of the path of said counterweights, when the shutter is closed, the whole in such a way of constituting a security avoiding that an untime motion of the carriage causes a displacement of the counterweights when the holes of the column are accessible. I

4. In apparatus as claimed in'claim 3, the other in which it is open, releasing the said holes, the shutter being rigid with at least one locking means passing through a passage provided in the column, which is disposed in such a manner to be placed on the path of the counterweights, in the interior of the column, when the shutter is open, avoiding thus any motion of the counterweights, or to be out of the path of said counterweights, when the shutter is closed, the whole in such a way of constituting a security avoiding that an untime motion of the carriage causes a displacement of the counterweights when the holes of the column are accessible. the shutter supporting on its internal face at two of its opposite walls, two sets'of holes giving access to the means allowing the counterweights to be connected or be disconnected from the supple bond, characterized by the fact that the column is equipped with two safety shutters articulated each on one of the walls of the column presenting the holes.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,807,728 I Dated? A n 3Q, 1974 Inventor(s) Maurice Chillier I It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as Shown below:

In the heading, at line 3, identified as [54 7, change "APPARATUS OF MECAONTHERAPY" to "APPARATUSOF MECANOTHERAPY".

In the heading, below line 8, idengified as [21 7 Appl. No. 224,751

-=- [30% vForeign Application Priority Data I eb. I 9 0 o u a Jan. 26, 1972 Swinzerland,,. ,,.,l.l77/72 In Column 1, change "APPARATUS MECAON'I'HERAPY" to "APPARATUS OF MECANOTHERAPY",

Signed, and sealed this 27th day of Augnst 1974,

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR;

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer tom! po'mso (1069) I uscoMM-nc scam-pea VS GovliNMENY PHNTING OFFICE I I", 0'366-33. 

1. Mecanotherapy apparatus comprising: means for allowing a patient to lean against a back seat, a vertically slidable carriage, carriage guiding means, carriage braking means for braking in at least one direction of carriage movement, gripping means supported by the carriage and allowing grasping by the patient for imparting upward and downward motions to the carriage, the braking means including counterweights movable within a hollow vertical column and being coupled to the carriage by a supple bond running over a pulley rotatively mounted on the column, means for modifying the number of counterweights coupled to the supple bond and acting on the carriage, the column being provided with a set of openings giving access to the modifying means on the counterweights for allowing selective coupling to the supple bond, the supple bond being attached to a vertical rod coaxial to the hollow shaft of the structure, and extendable through the counterweights, the rod presenting a set of spaced recesses for each receiving an element of connection with a counterweight, each element being mounted in shifting manner on a counterweight on which it may selectively take a first position in which it is partially engaged in one of the holes of the shaft for coupling the corresponding counterweight to the shaft and to the supple bond and a second position in which it is slipped away and released from the hole, the corresponding counterweight being thus disconnected from the shaft, the shaft being fitted on a coaxial guiding rod and fixed to the structure at its lower end, the elements of connection being constituted by small plates acting as locking means slidably mounted on the counterweights perpendicularly to the axle thereof, each of the small plates being provided with a button-hole of which the part with the small section engages into one of ring-shaped grooves provided in the shaft and of which the part with the large section allows the free passage of the shaft.
 2. Mecanotherapy apparatus comprising: means for allowing a patient to lean against a back seat, a carriage slidable vertically, guiding means for the carriage, means braking the carriage in at least one direction of movement, gripping means supported by the carriage for allowing the patient to grasp them with both hands with a view to imparting to the carriage upward and downward motions, the gripping means being movably mounted on the carriage, their positions being adjustable in a manner that the distance separating them from a vertical plane passing through the means allowing the patient to lean back, parallel to the vertical plane passing through the gripping means is adjustable too.
 3. Mecanotherapy apparatus comprising: means for allowing a patient to lean against a back seat, a carriage slidable vertically, guiding means for the carriage, means braking the carriage in at least one direction of its movements, and gripping means supported by the carriage for allowing the patient to grasp them with both hands with a view to imparting to the carriage upward and downward motions, the means braking the carriage in at least one direction of its movements being constituted by counterweights moving in the interior of a hollow vertical column being one element of the structure and being coupled to the carriage by a supple bond running over a pulley rotatively mounted on the column, at the upper part of this latter, with means being provided to modify by selection of the number of counterweights coupled to the supple bond and which consequently act on the carriage, the column being bored with at least a set of holes longitudinally placed, giving access to means, provided on the counterweights, for allowing selective coupling to the supple bond, articulatedly supporting at least one shutter formed by a lengthened piece adaptable to two positions, one in which it is closed and is applied to the column, closing the set of holes thereof, and the other in which it is open, releasing the said holes, the shutter being rigid with at least one locking means passing through a passage provided in the column, which is disposed in such a manner to be placed on the path of the counterweights, in the interior of the column, when the shutter is open, avoiding thus any motion of the counterweights, or to be out of the path of said counterweights, when the shutter is closed, the whole in such a way of constituting a security avoiding that an untime motion of the carriage causes a displacement of the counterweights when the holes of the column are accessible.
 4. In apparatus as claimed in claim 3, the other in which it is open, releasing the said holes, the shutter being rigid with at least one locking means passing through a passage provided in the column, which is disposed in such a manner to be placed on the path of the counterweights, in the interior of the column, when the shutter is open, avoiding thus any motion of the counterweights, or to be out of the path of said counterweights, when the shutter is closed, the whole in such a way of constituting a security avoiding that an untime motion of the carriage causes a displacement of the counterweights when the holes of the column are accessible. the shutter supporting on its internal face at the height of each of the holes of the column indications relating to the weight of the counterweight(s) which are in service when the weight placed before the corresponding hole, the carriage being at its high position, is itself in service.
 5. In apparatus as claimed in claim 3, the column being of four-angled cross-section and presenting, on two of its opposite walls, two sets of holes giving access to the means allowing the counterweights to be connected or be disconnected from the supple bond, characterized by the fact that the column is equipped with two safety shutters articulated each on one of the walls of the column presenting the holes. 